Songs that remind me of movies

If you’re like me, you hear a song come on the radio or CD or 8-track and immediately think of a movie or more specifically a movie scene.  Did I lose you at 8-track?  Actually some people may not even know what 8-tracks are.  How about a 33 or 45?  Ok, I am done dating myself, so let’s stick with – you hear a song on your I-pod and…

Anyway, back to my point, some songs just immediately trigger a visual response for me, most likely a movie (or a bad night of Karaoke). But for sake of my dignity, let’s stick with movies.  So in hopes that I am not the only one who does this; I have listed my top songs that trigger a related movie.  Rather than top songs, I should say the last songs I have heard because, you know, my 8-track player is acting up.

“In Your Eyes” – Peter Gabriel:  Say Anything.  I don’t think it’s physically possible to listen to this song without holding a boom box above your head.  If you do not understand that reference, you need to go to a video store…uh, I mean use Netflix…mmm I mean stream the movie “Say Anything” to your wifi-enabled viewing device (is that better?) and watch it.  Not only is it a great movie, but it contains the iconic scene where Lloyd Dobbler holds up his boom box (a boom box was this electronic device that played songs from “tapes” back in the day) and serenades his love.  Classic!

“Cruel Summer” – Bananarama:  Karate Kid (1984). Weird, but every time I hear this song I think of a pre-Dancing with the Stars Ralph Machio playing soccer on the beach in Karate Kid.  What’s weird is that this song wasn’t played when he was playing soccer on the beach but rather when he was walking into his new high school.  The other weird thing is that as soon as I think of either of those scenes, I immediately say “Sweep the Leg Johnny”.  In a related Karate Kid remake note, nothing makes me think of Jaden Smith.

“I’m all right” – Kenny Loggins:  Caddyshack.  Sometimes when you hear a song or lyrics, you think of a person singing them.  When I hear the beginning of this song “I’m all right, nobody worry about me”, I think about a gopher dancing.  If you don’t know what I am talking about, see my advice on “Say Anything” and go rent or stream this movie.  One of the top comedies’s of all time.

“Poker Face” - Lady Gaga: Percy Jackson.  This is an interesting one, because I only recently put these two together.  The song came on the other day and I immediately thought of Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief.  I have written about this movie as one of the worst transitions from a book to a movie ever (although on 2^nd watching it wasn’t that bad since I forgot the plot of the book).  There is a scene in Las Vegas where the main characters are in a nightclub for a week (yeah, just go with it) and this song doesn’t stop playing.  I also think of the half boy half-goat busting a move on the dance floor.  Although like 8-tracks, the term bustin a move may have also gone out of style with Young M.C.

“All Star” – Smash Mouth: Shrek.  As soon as I hear the words “Somebody once told me the world is going to roll me” I immediately think of that green monster.  No, not people on Wall Street  but Shrek.  This movie is also responsible for me thinking of it when I hear the song “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett.  Although, now that I think about that song I also think about the movie Kick-a$$.  So its like Shrek is competing with Kick A$$ for my attention.  Uh oh, the next time Bad Reputation plays I may end up like Sybil lying on the floor confused over whether I am Peggy or Helen.  Ok I may be breaking out obscure references here and honestly, I am not even sure how I got here since this was supposed to be about “All Star” and Shrek.

“Oh Yeah” – Yello:  Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  Seriously, as soon as you hear the  phrase “Ohhhh Yeah….Chicckkka Cowww” (or something like that) who doesn’t think of Cameron from Ferris Beullerr’s Day Off.  Also, who doesn’t think of Ferris’s scheme to hide the fact that they drove Cameron’s dad’s sports car by putting it up on blocks and driving it in reverse to remove the miles from the odometer.  Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Holding Out for A Hero” – Bonnie Tyler:  Streets of Fire.  This is a dilemma for me.  Every time I hear this song (just the other day in my car), I think of an obscure but awesome film called Streets of Fire.  It is basically about gangs and music and “stuff”.  However, I am not even sure this song was in the movie.  I even Googled it and am still not sure if it was in the movie.  But either way, anytime this song comes on I immediately think about this movie – especially the scene where the hero is held up by a guy with a knife, disarms him in about 3 seconds, gives the knife back to the thug and says “try again”.